Segregate
verb Base: segregate | Past: segregated | Past Participle: segregated | -ing: segregating | 3rd person: segregates
Definition
1. To separate groups of people from each other, especially because of race, sex, or religion, and treat them differently.
2. To keep one thing or area separate from another.
2. To keep one thing or area separate from another.
Context Alive
The old photographs showed two separate water fountains side by side. One sign read “Whites Only” and the other read “Colored.” The city had segregated everything — schools, buses, restaurants, even parks. It was hard to believe that people once lived like that.
Meanings
2 meanings 1 To Separate Groups of People, Especially by Race, Sex, or Religion (Verb) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about forcing different groups of people apart and treating them differently, especially based on race, sex, or religion. Imagine living in a city where Black children and white children couldn’t attend the same schools, drink from the same fountains, or sit in the same section of a bus. The authorities segregated people — they separated them by race and gave them unequal treatment. You might read “Black residents were segregated from white residents” or hear “the school system was racially segregated until the 1960s.” Or think about a country where men and women are segregated on public beaches and aren’t allowed to share the same space. The word carries a strong sense of forced separation and injustice. ✏️ The opposite of segregate in this sense is “integrate” — bringing different groups together as equals.
Vivid ExampleThe documentary showed what life was like in the American South during the 1950s. Schools were segregated by race, and Black students had to use completely separate buildings with fewer resources. The civil rights movement fought for years to change that reality.
2 To Keep One Thing or Area Separate from Another (Verb) Common ▼
This meaning is about keeping things physically apart from each other for practical or organizational reasons. Imagine a busy road where cyclists and cars used to share the same lane, and the city decides to build a barrier to segregate the bike lane from the traffic — keeping both groups safe by separating them. This is using segregate in a neutral, practical way. You might hear “the restaurant segregated the smoking area from the dining area” or someone could say “we need to segregate recyclables from regular waste.” Or picture a hospital where patients with infectious diseases are segregated from the rest of the ward to prevent the illness from spreading. The word points to deliberate, organized separation. ✏️ “Segregated from” and “segregated into” are the most common patterns — they describe what is being kept apart or how things are divided.
Vivid ExampleThe new office design segregated the quiet work areas from the open meeting spaces with glass walls. Employees who needed to concentrate could finally work in peace. It was a simple change that made a huge difference to everyone’s productivity.
Examples from the Street
“The school used to segregate boys and girls into completely separate buildings.”
The school used to keep male and female students physically apart in different premises
“You need to segregate your recycling — glass in one bin, plastic in another.”
You need to separate your recyclable waste into different containers by type
“Communities that are segregated along racial lines rarely understand each other.”
Groups that are divided and kept apart based on ethnicity seldom develop genuine mutual understanding
Common Patterns
segregate (people/groups) → separate people into distinct groups, usually unfairly
segregate someone from (others) → keep a person apart from the rest of a group
segregated by/along (race/gender/class) → divided according to a specific characteristic
racially/ethnically segregated → separated based on race or ethnic background
a segregated school/neighbourhood/society → a place where different groups are kept apart
remain/stay segregated → continue to be divided and separated
segregate waste/recycling/materials → sort different types of items into separate groups
segregate data/files/accounts → keep different categories of information separate
segregate something into (categories/groups) → divide something into distinct, organised sections
segregate something from something → keep one type of thing physically apart from another
racial segregation → the enforced separation of people based on race
gender segregation → the separation of males and females in institutions or public life
end/abolish segregation → stop the practice of separating people by group
segregation laws/policies → official rules that enforce the separation of groups
desegregate → reverse segregation and bring separated groups together
Collocations
2 collocationssegregate by race
separate people based on their ethnicity
segregated schools
schools that separate students by group
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
Until the 1960s, many American schools were racially segregated, with Black and white children forced into separate buildings
Up until the mid-twentieth century, numerous educational institutions in the United States divided students by skin colour, compelling children of different races to attend entirely different premises.
2
The prison segregates high-risk inmates from the general population for safety reasons
The correctional facility keeps dangerous prisoners physically apart from all the other detainees to prevent harm.
3
Please segregate your recycling into paper, glass, and plastic before putting it out for collection
Kindly sort your reusable waste into three separate categories — paper products, glass containers, and plastic items — before leaving it outside for the refuse service.
4
The city remains deeply segregated along economic lines — wealthy areas and deprived areas exist side by side without ever mixing
The urban area is still sharply divided according to income — affluent districts and disadvantaged neighbourhoods sit next to each other yet never truly interact.
5
The company was criticised for segregating male and female employees into different departments
The business faced harsh criticism for separating its male and female workers and placing them in entirely distinct sections of the organisation.
6
Food safety regulations require businesses to segregate raw meat from cooked products at all times
Health and hygiene rules demand that companies keep uncooked animal products completely apart from prepared food without exception.
7
The movement to end segregation in the American South became one of the defining struggles of the twentieth century
The campaign to abolish the enforced separation of races in the southern United States became one of the most significant fights for justice in modern history.
8
Some parents choose to segregate their children’s screen time from study time by keeping devices in a separate room
Certain parents decide to keep their children’s technology use completely apart from learning activities by storing electronic equipment in a different area of the house.
9
Gender-segregated schools are still common in some countries, though the practice is increasingly debated
Institutions that separate male and female students are still widespread in certain nations, although the approach is being questioned more and more.
10
The new policy aims to desegregate the housing market by encouraging mixed-income developments
The recently introduced measure seeks to reverse the separation in the property market by promoting residential projects that combine different income levels.
Learner Examples
★
Segregating students by ability level can sometimes do more harm than good — weaker learners lose confidence when they know they’ve been placed in the lowest group
Separating learners into different tiers based on how well they perform can occasionally cause more damage than benefit — those who struggle lose self-belief when they’re aware they’ve been put in the bottom category.
★
A good language classroom never segregates grammar from speaking — the two should be practised together so that rules come alive in real conversation
An effective language learning environment never keeps structural rules apart from oral practice — both should be worked on simultaneously so that theory becomes meaningful through genuine dialogue.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
0 items
Synonyms & Antonyms
7 items
Synonymsseparate
keep apart
isolate
set apart from others
divide
split into groups
exclude
keep out
Antonymsintegrate
bring together
unite
join as one
include
bring in